The Dillon tribune., 1887-08-12
CHE 1ulon !Tibnne.
DILLON, MONTANA, Aun. IL, 1887.
4 Srral, Of History.

GrangevilIe FIRE. Press, The months o
June and July, 1877, Witnessed slirtin:
times on Camas Prairie, whcn The hosti;t
\ez Perces, under Chief Joseph, we're j;
the flood tide Of their carnival OF de, iltry
The events Of that period followed eacl
other in quick succession from the memor
able outbreak on June l:3, down to the sec
ond week in July. The circumstances o
which We now speak occurred on July !.
On the morning Of that day William
Foster and Charles Blewitt, citizen scout.
in the service Of the government, were or.
acrcd to scout on Craig's Mountain to as
certain the whereabouts Of the Indians
They had proceeded as tar as Lawyers
canyon when they ran into bunch Of the
hostilcs who were in ambush there. Blew
ctt and Foster were some distance apart
when the Indians opened fire, and as Blew
EFT seemed 10 be in the thickest Of the fir.
ing Foster hailed him, saying, "Come on
and get out of this" Blewett replied, I'm
goin. 10 have one shot first and dis
mounting he fired at all Indian His
horse, scared by the firing, broke away
from him and ram towards the Indians,
who were concealed in the brush.
Foster tried to head off the animal, b,!t
the hostilcs were shooting at MIN at s.cl,
short range that he was compelled to re.
treat. He then called to E,cwct: to take 10
the brush and he would try TO help him.
Blcwitt had evidently been crippled by
shot in the leg, as the last seen OF him he
was limping for the brush along the creek
Foster had by this time headed for the
prairie, and the Indians chased him 10 the
brow Of Cottonwood Hill. lie however
escaped 10 the Cottonwood House. where Il
company Of troops under the command of
Lieut. Perry were camped, and told the
circumstances and made sucl, an eloquent
plea for help to assist him in returning To
rescue B!cwett that the entire company
volunteered, but as it was deemed mad.
visable for the whole force to go, volun.
tcer company composed of Lieut.. Rains and
eleven soldiers were detailed to return
with him and attempt the rescue.
Foster was particular to impress upon
the Lieutenant and the soldiers the neccs-
sity Of the utmost caution, and that some
if not all OF them were liable to be killed in
the attempt They left the Cottonwood
House and had got as far as the springs on
the stage road up the butte when the en-.
tire command were fired npon by the In
dians ambushed in the brush. Part Of the
soldiers dismounted, getting among the
rocks and firing into the ambuscade, while
others Of the company charged, but these
were met by such volley that they were
compelled 10 retreat to the road and Join
their companions. Foster was the last,
and in cndeavoring to reach the
command his horse was shot under him,
and in attempting to run on foot he was
killed in the road, opposite which his
grave now is. The soldiers were all killed,
and were buried in one grave, and their re.
mains have since been cxhumcd and re.
buried with military honors at old Fort
Lapwai. Foster being civilian was bur.
led and still sleeps were he fell, by the side
Of the stage road on the hill which over.
looks the prairie.
The grave Of this brave scout is in a sad.
ly dilapidated state. The rails which once
enclosed 1t have been removed by vandal
hands, the soil which covers him has given
birth to rank growth Of grass and briers,
and the coyotes have burrowed so that the
cath Is caving in, and very soon, unless
steps arc taken to re.cnclosc and preserve
this memorable spot, the trampling stock
will soon oIlitcrate the few faint traces that
are left to mark the spot where fell brave
man ~ho risked his life, after once cscap
ing fran the very teeth OF death, to save a
comralc.